아
a[a̠]
The Korean interjection 아 means "ah".
Meaning: an expression (intj)
How do you pronounce it?
a
When do people say it?
While 아 is a general exclamation, Korean has several other specific interjections for different emotional nuances. For example, 아이고 (aigo) is used to express surprise, mild pain or frustration. If you want to express surprise or astonishment informally, you might use 어머 (eomeo), which is similar to "OMG". To express something similar to "Oops!" when something unexpected happens, you can use 앗 (at). If you need to grab someone's attention with firmness or impatience, the interjection 야 (ya) is used. Finally, for unexpected or unfortunate situations, the phrase 어쩌다가 (eojjeodaga) may be used.
Did you know?
- In Korean, the sound 아 can also mean 'I' or 'me' when written as a Sino-Korean word derived from the Chinese character 我.
- Even though 아 is a common interjection, its meaning is highly dependent on the length of the vowel and the pitch, which can turn a gentle 'ah' into a sharp exclamation.
- While English speakers use 'ah' for realization, Koreans often use the similar-sounding 어 (eo) to express a sudden realization or a change in thought.
Examples in context
- 아, 제가 실수했네요!Ah, I made a mistake!This sentence is useful for seeing how 아 is used when realizing a mistake.
- 아이고, 뭐하는 거야?Oh dear, what are you doing?
- 앗, 웃겨!Oops, that's hilarious!
- 아, 그렇군요.a, geureokunyo.Ah, I see.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo explains something to Jieun in a cafe.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo이게 바로 그 방법이에요.ige baro geu bangbeobieyo.This is the method.
- 지은 Ji-eun아, 이제 알겠어요!a, ije algesseoyo!Ah, now I understand!
- 현우 Hyeon-woo지은 씨, 이해가 잘 돼요?jieun ssi, ihaega jal dwaeyo?Jieun, do you understand it well?
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 현우 씨 덕분에 알았어요.ne, hyeonwu ssi deokbune arasseoyo.Yes, I understood thanks to you, Hyunwoo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ah” translations and entries 아, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 아, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
